More gun laws won't change things. What needs to be changed is the mind set of the society that has been given the free right to own them. Hanna H, Chicago, USA

While I've read some interesting arguments on both sides, I can't help feeling that if someone broke into my house and I went for my gun there's a good chance someone would end up dead and it would not necessarily be the burglar. I think I would rather just let them take my stuff, life's are more important than belongings. Dominic Smith, Reading, England

I see no reason whatsoever in a civilised society for people to own their own guns. Tony, Oxford

Britain has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the world, yet London has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Michael Carl, MA, USA

To even discuss the concept of gun control in the USA is pointless

Ray Wilde, Portland, Maine, USA

To even discuss the concept of gun control in the USA is pointless, and such legislation is never likely to be enacted. There is far too much healthy distrust of government, and the incompetence of the police does not lead one to any confidence in their ability to protect the public. Even if there were gun restrictions, would they keep guns out of criminals' hands? Of course not. Ray Wilde, Portland, Maine, USA

It seems to me that any society which legitimises firearms will see an increase in their use. Why would we want that? Rod, UK

Gun control is rather similar to locking your front door when you leave the house. Neither will stop the hardened criminal, as most crimes are opportunistic. Michael T Farnworth, Isle of Man

The licence to carry arms automatically provokes the license to kill anyone at any time.Wendy Bowman-Quigley, Frankfurt, Germany

It's not the gun that is the devil. It's in the mind. The media is partly responsible for encouraging such gung-ho attitudes. Even cartoons show guns, missiles, tanks and killings. Arun, India

I believe that we should be allowed to bear arms. At the moment it is easy for a criminal to obtain a firearm. The police too should be armed, what use is a baton against a handgun?! Andrew, Northampton, England

Guns are made to kill.
Alex White,
Canterbury UK

Crime lies in the mind of the beholder

Agha Ata, Houston, USA

Crime lies in the mind of the beholder. We had crimes when we didn't have guns, and we will have crimes when guns are gone. But the gun control will certainly reduce the crime rate for sometime because many people who have a hammer think that every problem is a nail. Take those hammers away. It will never solve the entire problem, but it will certainly help. Agha Ata, Houston, USA

Since 1997 ban on guns in UK the UK murder rate has increased to a 100 year all-time high. You can not hide those facts.
Rip,
New York, USA

If you are not an American do not worry about our laws, look instead to your own yard and well look to ours. Owning firearms is our right, a right which we have fought for. Ban firearms? What's next, banning freedom of speech, press or religion? Banning firearms puts us down the same road as Hitler, Mao and Stalin. Charles, USA

Guns kill. Ban them.
Trevor,
San Francisco UK

If a gun is the only way you can feel safe then the society that you live in must have a fundamental flaw in its attitude towards human life

Anon, Whitstable, England

It is so sad to see a country at war with itself as a lot of Americans seem to be. Paranoia is not a healthy state especially if you are in charge of a lethal weapon. If a gun is the only way you can feel safe then the society that you live in must have a fundamental flaw in its attitude towards human life. Anon, Whitstable England

Matt, Scotland asks, "What, in a civilized world would it take to convince Americans to stop owning guns?" And I respond: "What civilized world?" H Stewart, Washington, DC

Since the UK banned hand guns in 1997 in a knee jerk reaction, the country has been flooded with illegal guns, and gun crime has climbed at an alarming rate. Even though the Government would have us believe that we have an unarmed police force, there are more and more instances where police officers are routinely carrying weapons. It has traditionally been the Americans' right under the terms of the constitution to bear arms and they should be allowed to keep that right.
Peter Hopkins, Exeter, UK

Stricter gun control won't solve all of our problems, but it will help change the culture of the US for the better

Adam Reed, US

Stricter gun control won't solve all of our problems, but it will help change the culture of the US for the better. We need to stop seeing the world in black and white, right and wrong, dead or alive. "Might makes right" is an unsupportable philosophy for a civilized society, yet one which many Americans (including the current President) seem to view as our perfectly natural destiny.
The discussion gets interesting when you say: "Without guns, how will you protect yourself?" That's when you start getting answers like "Improve education, reduce poverty, treat drug use as a medical problem, etc." In other words, you get answers which address the roots of problems and lead to a more equitable, progressive society. This is clearly preferable to barbaric, ultimately suicidal solution of "kill the bad guys". Adam Reed, US

Since the handgun ban in England, gun crime has gone up by something like 40%. That says it all. Increased gun control simply appeases politicians (and anti gun lobbies) but does nothing to solve the underlying issues, nor does it reduce the very crimes it is introduced for. Rob Stubbs, Herts, England

A lot of the postings here point out that disarmament is a way for governments to gain total control over its citizens. I believe that the U.S government has no need to gain total control since it has already done that through other means such as the total control of the media. Michael, Toronto, Canada

When are people going to realise that if a person has the intention of using a firearm to kill someone, they aren't going to worry about the illegal possession of the weapon. Handguns were banned in the UK some time ago, and is anyone seriously trying to pretend that no handguns have been used illegally since then? After all if a criminal needs a car for a smash n' grab or as a getaway from a robbery - they'll steal one and they don't care about illegally owning the vehicle for that purpose - so do we ban cars too? Mike, Huntingdon, UK

I've lived in the US for over twenty years, and it's the most violent place on earth. They have guns here for one reason - it makes American citizens feel more powerful. Once one understands this primary motive, all the ridiculous assertions about constitutional rights, self-defence, pre-emptive defence, evening the odds, and so forth, are dispelled.
Force and coercion are the bedrock of American foreign and domestic policy. Our schools here practise education by threat, the religions are autocratic, and government is seen as something draconian and irresistible. As a result, it is not surprising that the gun is seen as an appropriate method of expression.
Take away an American's right to arm, and you take away his ability to communicate. Pip Pullen, Louisville, USA

The UK is living proof that gun control laws do not work. UK gun crime is spiralling despite the outlawing of most types of guns.The only effect our gun control law has had is to prevent a large number of people enjoying recreational and professional usage of guns.
Edwin,
Britain

I suggest those that think guns work for self protection go to a library and pick up a Time magazine from the late '80s that published a picture of every person killed with a gun in the US in one week. There wasn't a single criminal shot while trying to commit a crime. However, there were many people shot accidentally while coming home late at night, or kids that found their dad's gun and shot each other. Kevin H, Portland, OR, USA

Not even the police are armed in Ireland! Jay, Ireland

For all you people that think there is a relationship between guns and crime, you need to look at countries like Austria and Switzerland. Those countries have more guns per capita than anywhere else in the world, yet their gun crime rate is very low. Sam, US/UK

The right to keep and bear arms in the US has nothing to do with hunting or target shooting. We have this right in order to protect ourselves. I live in a wilderness area and cannot depend on the police for protection. It would take at least thirty minutes to respond to my home. I am responsible for my own safety, and that is my choice.
Brian Zomorodian ,
New Castle, Va, USA

When possession of a firearm is restricted to uniformed military, identifying the criminal element becomes a lot easier

Leo, New Zealand

The 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution was enacted with the idea that the US would never have a standing military. It states that the right to bear arms is collective, not individual. "Within regulated militia, for the sole purpose of defending the state." The Supreme Court, through some mass bout of either madness or dyslexia decided that meant that citizens could own guns for whatever reason they wanted. When possession of a firearm is restricted to uniformed military/police, identifying the criminal element becomes a lot easier.
Leo,
New Zealand

Okay, this is for all the folks that don't have a clue. In 1997 there were 32,436 people killed by guns in the US. This figure is .0125 of 1% of the population. Now, of these 32,436 people shot, 33% were accidental. Which means 10,703.8 people were accidentally killed by firearms in the US. This figure is approximately .0038 of 1% of the population. (out of 280m people). Now, in 1992 drunk driving in this country killed a little over 100,000 people. Lung cancer in 1992 directly linked to cigarettes killed 400,000 people in the US.
All loss of life is regrettable, but for anyone to recommend that guns are the biggest threat to society is nothing short of being incorrect. It is quite obvious that lifestyle choices kill more folks than guns do, by far.
D.,
USA

Attempting to rid society of anything that can be used as a weapon is not the answer

Roger, Florida

We have many more deaths each year in the US from people who drink and drive than we do from firearm shootings. No one talks about removing alcohol or cars from our society. It is not the tool that commits the crime. It is the person. Terrorism has shown that planes can be effective weapons. A person who wants to kill can find a way to do so. Attempting to rid society of anything that can be used as a weapon is not the answer. Personal accountability and tougher punishment for those who harm others is a better solution. Roger, Jacksonville, FL, USA

Heroine, cocaine, marijuana, and many other drugs are illegal in the US. The US government is involved in a "drug war" to end the drug trade. And yet, in a 5 minute walk, I could buy a huge amount of drugs. Gun control laws in the US will be as effective as the drug war. If we outlaw guns, only outlaws will own guns. Drugs and guns are an unfortunate part of our culture, but laws won't change that. Peter, Baltimore, USA

There seems to be a common theme across the Americans writing to this site, justifying the ownership of personal arsenals, which is the paranoid distrust of their own 'democratically' elected government. For a nation which advocates democracy as the solution for the rest of the world┐s problems, it is an irrational contradiction.
Tracy White,
Turin, Italy

Most of the statements made here are so ridiculous that a reply to them would only create more ignorance.
The reason for our 2nd amendment was basically for protection against our enemies either foreign or domestic.
We have more gun laws than any other country. The problem is these laws are not enforced.
Charles,
Georgetown, USA

I suspect that part of the American love of guns lies in a desire for control.

David Ramos, Washington

I'm from the DC suburbs, and over the last three weeks, I've wished for some form of control. I've been more alert, I do wish that my CPR certification were current, but I still don't own a gun.
What would I do with a gun? Against a sniper attack? Useless. American Army manuals instruct units caught in a sniper ambush to spray any likely cover with suppressive fire, which is a fine tactic, as long as you have thousands of rounds of ammunition, a squad of men armed with automatic rifles, and a battlefield empty of uninvolved bystanders. Not so hot in Montgomery County, Maryland.

I suspect that part of the American love of guns lies in a desire for control. I know that I'm better off without a gun. I'm not making myself a victim, mind - I've only decided that there are better ways to defend myself, like martial-arts training, a compact police flashlight, and plain old street-smarts.
David Ramos,
Washington, DC

When will we all recognise that today's murder rate is the symptom of a society that has been de-sensitised to the value of life? Isn't it better to spend more time wondering how we got in this mess than to chase our tales; asking governments to pass gun control laws that don't work? Time to point the finger at ourselves and stop asking the government to protect us from us. Dean Cannon, Tokyo, Japan

Nobody needs assault rifles and machine guns to hunt

Daniel, Orlando, USA

I believe that we need much stronger gun control in the United States. I know we will never be able to have a ban on guns, but a limit on the type of guns is the best we can hope for. Nobody needs assault rifles and machine guns to hunt, only kill people. Daniel, Orlando, FL United States Of America

Those who are comparing UK and US firearms death statistics are overlooking one thing. It is a sad fact that what is driving the current increase in UK gun crime is more villains getting involved in drugs because there is a profit to be made. The villains use guns to protect their businesses. Why not take away their businesses by legalising drugs thereby reducing gun crime in the UK. Marc H Turner, London, United Kingdom

As always, I am ashamed to read some of the comments my "fellow Americans" have made. Yes, quite obviously we have a gun problem in the US. I am a student, and just by attending class every day I put myself at the risk that the students in Columbine, Jonesboro, and most recently Melbourne, Australia did. I don't want to live in a country where I have to fear that I or someone I love will be shot by one of the millions of abundant weapons.
Lauren Dobbins Webb,
St. Paul, Minnesota USA

To all those people that are "defending themselves and their families": Can't you see that it's because of those gun laws that you need to defend your families? I live in a big city and have never even seen a gun in my life. You're in a circle that will keep on running and getting worse until you do something about those laws.
Mattijs Vankersschaever, Brussels, Belgium

Thousands of serious crimes are halted by armed US citizens every year.

Stu, London

A joint 1995 survey conducted between the British Home Office and the US Dept of Justice showed that Brits are three times more likely to be mugged on an average English street and four times more likely to suffer home invasion. Why the difference ?
The reason is simple. The USA has a most successfully policy of "Concealed Carry" whereby vetted citizens are allowed to covertly carry their guns - and the records show that thousands of serious crimes are halted by armed US citizens every year.
Stu,
London, UK

I saw on TV last a German presenter being shown round a gun range in Arizona. At this Gun range there was one man with a .50 cal browning machine gun. The type you see mounted on tanks and jeeps in films. I ask you all this what purpose does that gun serve in a civilized society? The facts speak for them selves reduce the number of guns and you will reduce the number of gun related problems. I quote Bill, USA (see below): "I will fight to the death before a government takes away all of my guns". Surely this statement is an argument for gun control? Here you have a person publicly stating that he would kill law enforcement personal in order to protect his guns.
Giles,
Munich, Germany

A quick history lesson: The first thing Hitler did was disarm his people. A people without firearms are at their government's mercy. Sit back and think about that for a while.
Shane Johnson,
Neosho, USA

I have read the statistics, which state that far less murders have been committed with guns in the UK. However, I wonder how many other crimes have been committed in the UK by other means. As with 9/11, even a box cutter can become a weapon in the hands of the wrong person. Unfortunately, some people just want to cause harm to others. I don't believe that the people who are committing crimes with firearms bother with our laws and obtain their guns legally. So instead of changing our gun laws, I believe we should focus on stopping the illegal sales of firearms.
Nicole,
Chicago, USA

No-one but the police or military should have possession of an assault rifle

Rudolf Berndt, Whitehorse

I am a gun owner and hunter. I am not pleased with all the government regulations that are now necessary for me to posses my guns! However, I have to admit that many things in the Canadian gun Laws make sense. Mandating the safe storage of guns can reduce the incidents of child shootings. Restricting hand gun ownership and prohibiting the cheap firearms should reduce the number of weapons available to children and petty criminals. No-one but the police or military should have possession of an assault rifle. Severe punishments and the destruction of legal arms could quickly lower the availability of restricted weapons. Rudolf Berndt, Whitehorse, Canada

As an Brit in the States, I can tell you that while the UK may have a small (but rising) number of gun murders, the petty crime (burglary, robbery, mugging) and assault rates would be considered unbearable in the US. Our neighbour's son was beaten to death by a gang of thugs in Bristol's town square. Things like that wouldn't happen if the government trusted the people with guns. Neil, Holmdel USA

I am in the UK and I know what the Americans think of our gun laws and of us. But listen, I am a keen shooter and often wish we had rifles legal here. But in the US you have everything. I think that the laws in the U.S should be tightened. Why on earth would you need a machine gun? They are only used against people! Rifles and shotguns are okay because you do use them for hunting and defence, so I hope you get my point.
Paul,
U,K

It is amazing that Brits seem to neglect or disregard Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom. What about all the gun violence there? What about the cache of machine guns just confiscated from protestant militants? What about the IRA's stockpiles of weapons? Gun control is a feel-good solution for most people and a way to total control for Government.
Paul,
Boston , Ma

I have made the choice to take on the responsibility of defending my home and family

Ben Snowden, Virginia

I live just south of the area the sniper has been working over. I have lived in areas where crime is high and I have a permit to carry a firearm as do many people I know. I believe they're 3 kinds of people. the criminal predators, the folks like me that refuse to put up with them and then there are the vast numbers that seem to be content to be victims. No government nor any entity of government can protect people completely. I have made the choice to take on the responsibility of defending my home and family in my own hands and have on 3 occasions able to send the predators running for their lives. That is the way it should be.
Ben Snowden,
Virginia Beach, Virginia

No, in fact the gun laws should be relaxed. And although you say the "number of gun-related deaths each year runs into the tens of thousands". you conveniently omit to mention that the vast majority of these fatalities are suicides attempts. How will restricted access to guns change this? You also fail to make mention of the fact that a large proportion of the remaining fatalities are a result of law enforcement officers and law abiding citizens protecting themselves. Care to explain how that is a bad thing? Maybe if British citizens had the ability to defend themselves, there wouldn't be the consistent escalation of violent crime as is currently the case in the UK. In the US, violent crime has been in decline for almost a decade now.
Mich,
Philadelphia, USA

The most effective regulation will implement widespread ballistic fingerprinting measures to trace the bullet to the gun. Countless gun owners complain that they will lose their privacy rights as a result, but he whose bullet is found in a murder victim deserves no such rights.
Matthew Lenard,
USA

I'm so sick of Americans claiming that guns are absolutely required. Reading the comments on this page, people claimed everything from needing protection from wild animals (including sharks, which is puzzling) to protection from each other (which is circular and alarming at the same time). Yes, rifles and such might be useful for hunting and recreational target practice. But not many people get killed on the streets with thirty-gauge shotguns. I think outlawing guns with no recreational purpose (i.e. assault rifles and such) would be a good start. We have a truly ridiculous number of gun deaths a year (over 11,000, compared to roughly 40 in Japan) Making firearms illegal would not rid the USA of our gun problem, but it would be a good start.
Meredith Slota,
Seattle, USA

Stay out of our business

Scott Weaver, USA

The reason a populace needs access to firearms is not for hunting target practice. It is to protect individuals from others who would infringe upon their rights. Stay out of our business. Scott Weaver, USA

Taking guns away from Americans is like taking away a mother's baby. I will fight to the death before a government takes away all of my guns. Once that happens how can you trust your government to stay in check? Would the massacre had happened in Yugoslavia if the innocent citizens had guns to fight the injustice from their government? I don't think so. Another thing, what foreign military would try to roll in USA knowing that over 50% of the population have guns? Bill, USA

To Pip, UK: Your statement is simply not true. There are other countries that have extremely restrictive gun laws bordering on complete confiscation and they have a far higher rate of firearm crimes. Gun crimes have actually been decreasing every year in the US regardless of what lies are being told about it. Please note that the UK has had an increasing number of gun crimes every year since your ban on handguns. John F Sukey, USA

The constitution of the US says that "a well regulated militia, being necessary for the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed". The US couldn't be any more free. If people want to carry guns or are concerned about the US's freedom, they should join the well regulated militia that is the US army.
MIke,
USA

Grizzly bears, buzzards, alligators, rattlesnakes, sharks, wolves - all native to America. If our European fox was three times its size and attacked humans, every house in the UK would own a gun.
Given the native species the US has, how can they effectively outlaw weapons that some parts of the country still need?
Richard,
Leeds, UK

We're proof that tight gun laws save thousands of lives

Alex Banks,
UK

We're proof that tight gun laws save thousands of lives every year but you cannot expect the US to change their laws - the NRA has a stranglehold on too many high ranking politicians.
Alex Banks,
UK

An overhaul is decades overdue. Yes, criminals will have access to illegal guns, no change in the law can guarantee that no one will ever be shot again, but at least such a change can prevent disgruntled teenagers from taking their parents' legal firearms and shooting up their high schools.
Marcel,
the Netherlands

Any nation that can imprison people for possessing a small amount of pot, whilst allowing them to own an arsenal of automatic weaponry is in need of some very serious soul searching.
Jon E,
France

I don't really know what you can do about it. It's an unwinnable war. The government attempt to ban certain guns and then the manufacturers put them back on the market with a few tiny differences so it's perfectly legal again. When you purchase a gun you have to wait while they check to see if you're mad. Even if they stop making guns this very day, there are so many out there already it would be impossible to get them all, you just can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.
Paul,
UK

I'm not American but I understand why they have guns.
This is just a case of punishing the innocent to catch the few.
In a utilitarian sense consider the impact on jobs in the firearms industry too.
Ken,
UK

I wonder what the National Rifle Association's (NRA) reaction has been to these shootings. Presumably they would remind us all that "Guns don't kill people, people kill people". Well yes, I have to agree. The problem is that people are killing people with guns. Take away the guns or at least make them less readily available and you stand a chance of making society a safer place.
John,
Japan

These attacks are terrible, but to the people who believe that gun bans or gun registration would somehow prevent the attacks, think again. The most heinous attack on America was carried out on 9/11 by people with unregistered box cutters, and FAA certified and registered jet airplanes. It is no coincidence that these attacks are centred around DC, arguably the most gun controlled metropolitan area in the US.
Jesse Cole MD, USA

I am a Brit living in the US at the moment. I would like to say how ridiculously easy it is to purchase or hire a gun here in the USA. I went shooting in my first week here- it took them all of 5 minutes for a cursory glance at my passport for them to hand me an M16 rifle and 100 bullets to hire for the day! To those misguided people who think that tougher gun laws won't work, I have an interesting statistic. In 1996 - 70 people shot in UK. Over 10,000 people shot in USA in same period (look it up yourself).
Amantia,
USA

The solution to guns is not more guns, it is tougher gun control laws

Samantha, USA

The only purpose of guns is to kill people. Apparently, we are not intelligent enough yet to do without them and find other ways to solve problems. The solution to guns is not more guns, it is tougher gun control laws. Samantha, USA

Why can't gun laws in the US be like those in Canada? My opinion is that guns should be kept in lockers provided by the government where you need to sign them out if you need them, and once you're done, you must return them. This way, they will know what guns are out there and who has them. Alaa, Ottawa, Canada

obviously certain US residents feel their right to posses a gun is more important that those people killed by guns. Would it not be a simpler matter to require that every legitimate gun has a test firing (at the owner's expense) and the result recorded for later forensic use? Nick, Netherlands

To Nick, Netherlands: It would not be simpler to test fire legitimate guns. There are millions of illegitimate guns that would not be tested. Guns stolen from owners, or bought in other countries. To Alaa, Ottawa, Canada: It would be useless to keep guns in a lock-up. Most Americans keep guns for safety reasons. If the gun is locked up when it is needed most, it is useless. The criminals will rule the streets, and innocents will be in jails. Bill, UK

Since the Dunblane massacre, the UK has seen a 40% increase in gun-related crime. Only the law-abiding people obey the law. I would rather have my loaded .38 Smith and Wesson handy, than not. The police in the States can't protect us, and, as I read in the British media, the UK cops are no better. When you have twisted thinkers that put Tony Martin in jail for killing a burglar, I'll happily stay on the US side of the pond. Steve Davies, Bahamas

We have so many unregistered guns in the US at this time that law changes will not be effective

Richard Namon, USA

If I could have my way, there would be no handguns except for law enforcement weapons in the US. Rifles would be stored in police controlled warehouses available for short term hunting permits. That said, we have so many unregistered guns in the US at this time that law changes will not be effective. Sometimes we have to live with the traditions of the past, even when undesirable. Richard Namon, USA

Gun control only works for legally held firearms. We have very strict gun control and it has not stopped gun crime. In fact crime involving guns is still rising. So why bother with tighter gun control when it is so ineffective?
Simon,
UK

Of course America's gun laws need to change as in the US a psychopath can go and buy a gun quite easily, with no questions asked. However this is not the main reason for my views, thousands of Americans are killed every year through gun-related accidents that would not happen if gun ownership was more strictly controlled. The second amendment (right to bear arms) is an archaic law with no place in present day America. Civil liberties need guns like a fish needs a bicycle. Catherine Mottram, UK

Criminals think twice when the gun barrel is pointed in their direction

Joe,
USA

Our problem is not gun ownership, it is lack of community. If you talk to your neighbour, they (and you) have an outlet for concerns and frustrations. These can build up to severe levels in some people who will release it by using a gun. Stopping law-abiding people from owning guns means only the criminals who don't care about the law will carry them. Criminals only care about themselves, they think twice when the gun barrel is pointed in their direction.
Joe,
USA

It's all very well talking about the right to defend yourself but let's not forget that in the US, robbers, rapists and psychopaths carry guns also. As for it only being the 'odd' gun incident - 28,000 gun-related deaths last year is a little more than 'odd'. Daz, UK

There are plenty of lawful gun owners in the US. Why should their rights be limited because of criminal acts? More work should be put towards enforcing the gun laws already in place. Jeremy, USA

I can't see what it would take to make Americans react against their beloved gun culture

Mat, Scotland

In a civilised world the answer to the question is 'yes'. However, I can't see what it would take to make Americans react against their beloved gun culture. I visited LA just after the riots in the early 90s and recall seeing an anti-gun poster that read, "Last year 25,000 Americans were killed by guns. During that same period the number killed by guns in Great Britain was only 9. Change the gun law now!" 10 years on I don't see any of their leadership proposing the banning of guns. Mat, Scotland

The US certainly needs to rethink its gun culture. There have been several cases over the last 10 years of people turning psychotic and shooting people dead. If there was a ban on guns several of those people would be alive today. I think the case three years ago when a five-year-old shot dead another child at school highlights just how easy it was to get hold of a gun. I fear going to the US even for a holiday, it's turned into such an unattractive location. No one should be allowed to possess a gun for personal use in any country, not even for hunting or sports.
Jess,
UK

The right to bear arms is effectively giving people the right to kill

Colin, Scotland

The right to bear arms is effectively giving people the right to kill. Unless gun laws are changed and made a lot stricter, I fear we will hear more about cases like Columbine and the current situation in Washington. Colin, Scotland

This sniper would have had a gun anyway, no matter what the law was. Living in south Tottenham myself I never leave the house without my (illegal) gun. And it saved me from being robbed twice already. As long as the government is unable to protect me, I will take matters into my own hand.
Anon,
UK

It strikes me that it is very easy for a person to come into possession of a gun in the US. With a population of 280 million why is there a need for 200 million privately owned guns? In this modern day and age there is no need for these barbaric devices in homes. Rajiv, Australia

The answer to the question is yes, but Americans cannot associate gun ownership with attacks from a sniper. Colin, The Netherlands

The odd gun incident is a small price to pay

Rob Harris,
UK

Life is not risk free. The people of the US choose the right to bear arms rather than be subject to the whims of robbers, rapists and psychopaths. The possibility of the odd gun incident is a small price to pay to have the ability to stand in defiance against the scum of the earth. Besides, disarming ordinary civilians didn't stop the Dunblane massacre, and stricter rules for the law-abiding won't stop the next gun criminal either.
Rob Harris,
UK

Rob Harris: The sniper and other spectacular shootings that make the news may be exceptional, but the truth is that gun incidents happen every day in the US and it would be very hypocritical to suggest that there is no direct link between gun availability and the nature of violent crime in the US. Also, the sniper may be a whacko or scum of the earth or whatever but he hasn't come from another planet. He's partly the product of a society fascinated and overwhelmed by violence. Nicolai, Belgium

Perhaps Rob Harris can explain why the US has a higher incidence of all these crimes than any country that restricts ownership of guns? Maybe, just maybe, the two are closely related. Pip, UK